CVE-2021-46162
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Simcenter Femap allows remote code execution through specially crafted NEU files. An attacker could execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the current user by tricking them into opening a malicious file. All Simcenter Femap users with versions before V2022.1.1 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Simcenter Femap
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise through remote code execution, potentially leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to unauthorized access to sensitive engineering data and system resources.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper file validation and user awareness controls prevent malicious file execution.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open a malicious NEU file. No public exploit code is available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: V2022.1.1
Vendor Advisory: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-949188.pdf
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download Simcenter Femap V2022.1.1 or later from Siemens support portal. 2. Install the update following Siemens installation procedures. 3. Restart the application and verify the version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict NEU file handling
windowsBlock or restrict NEU file execution through application whitelisting or file extension filtering.
User awareness training
allTrain users to only open NEU files from trusted sources and verify file integrity.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to restrict execution of Simcenter Femap to trusted locations only.
- Use network segmentation to isolate Simcenter Femap systems from critical network segments.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Simcenter Femap version in Help > About menu. If version is below V2022.1.1, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Not applicable - check via application GUI Help > About menuVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is V2022.1.1 or higher in Help > About menu after patching.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected process crashes of Simcenter Femap
- Unusual file access patterns to NEU files
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Simcenter Femap process
SIEM Query:
Process: 'femap.exe' AND (EventID: 1000 OR EventID: 1001) for crash detection